Emma Carlson Berne is the author of over one hundred and twenty books for juvenile, middle-grade and young adult readers. She has worked with American Girl Publishing, Disney Lucasfilm, Simon & Schuster, PJ Library, Lonely Planet Kids, National Geographic Kids, and Scholastic, among others. She often ghostwrites under the names Jake Maddox, Lila Stewart, Elizabeth Woods, and Hailey Abbott. Emma lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and three young sons. She is a keen horseback rider and lover of nature and animals. She enjoys running and walking, hiking, camping, and cooking.

Shaw Nielsen is a pretty snazzy illustrator whose work for both adults and children has helped bring a bit of sunshine to magazines, advertising, books, and newspapers around the world. His illustration has been featured in Communication Arts, 3x3 magazine, was the LA Times Festival of Books Illustrator, and has been honored by the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles, and the Art Directors Club.